Narelle here. Today for Fiction Friday I’m sharing my book recommendation for Toni Shiloh’s upcoming contemporary Christian romance release, In Search Of A Prince, set in the USA and a fictional West African Island.
Royalty romances and princess stories are fun reads that are typically set in fictional European countries. I love reading fiction that features international settings and the tropical island setting in Africa is divine.
Book Description:
It seems like a dream come true . . . until it forces her to question everything.
Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha’s Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops a bombshell–Brielle is really a princess in the island kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, off the coast of Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, the king, is failing.
Distraught by all the secrets her mother kept, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before her coronation, or the crown will pass to another. Brielle is uncertain if she even wants the throne, and with her world totally shaken, where will she find the courage to take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring?
Narelle’s Thoughts:
There are so many things to love about In Search Of A Prince and the gorgeous international setting tops my list. The fictional tropical island setting in West Africa was a lovely place to escape into a story. Brielle is the only daughter of a NYC doctor and she enjoys her life in the city. When Brielle learns her late father, who she never knew, was an African prince, and her paternal grandfather, the king, is unwell, she packs up her life and travels by private jet with her best friend, Iris, to the African tropical island kingdom.
The big complication in the story is Brielle’s search for a suitable prince to marry before her grandfather passes. The story is written in first person single viewpoint, and I was happy I picked the ‘winner’ early on who would claim Brielle’s hand in marriage. The romance includes a royal love triangle setup mixed with the marriage of convenience trope. Brielle must choose a husband and marrying for love is not necessarily at the top of her criteria list.
In Search Of A Prince also includes coming of age themes and explores the island’s culture. Brielle is on a journey of discovering her heritage and she quickly develops a close relationship with her grandfather. I loved the strong faith element that was an essential part of the story. Brielle practices her faith. She prays, reads the Bible, and seeks wisdom in her decision making. Brielle has humility and she understands the servant heart that’s needed for her to become a great queen who will lead her people as their head of state.
I recommend In Search Of A Prince to contemporary romance readers who enjoy royalty princess marriage of convenience stories with a strong faith element in a stunning tropical African island setting.
Many thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.
Learn more about Toni Shiloh and her books at her website.
In Search Of A Prince will release on February 1, 2022.
We will be airing our StoryChats @ InspyRomance podcast/YouTube interview with Toni Shiloh where we feature In Search Of A Prince on February 4.
Sounds like a fun read. Sort of a Christian Princess Dairies 1 and 2 rolled into one in Africa. Thanks
Hi Dienece, yes, I could also see the Princess Diary parallels in the storyline. I hope you’ll have a chance to read Toni’s book. Thanks for commenting. 😊
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Toni, Thanks for stopping by. 😊
So far I don’t think I have read a royal romance. I have watched a few that were turned into movies and this sounds like it would be a good movie also. I have some of Toni’s books on my TBR pile not sure if I have read any yet. A book set in an international setting sounds good too
Hi Jenny, yes, definitely bump Toni’s books higher up the tbr list! In Search of a Prince would make a fabulous movie with the island setting. Thanks for commenting. 😊